Rhode Island House of Representatives District 45 candidate surveys, 2022

Elections in Rhode Island, 2022

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This article shows responses from candidates in the 2022 election for Rhode Island House of Representatives District 45 who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.

• Click here to see candidates and election results.
• Click here to see Candidate Connection survey responses.

Candidates and election results

General election

General election for Rhode Island House of Representatives District 45

Incumbent Mia Ackerman defeated Thomas Rando in the general election for Rhode Island House of Representatives District 45 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Mia Ackerman (D)	55.4	3,062
		Thomas Rando (R)	44.4	2,456
		Other/Write-in votes	0.2	10

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 5,528
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

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Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Thomas Rando (R)

Economy – The cost of living MUST be brought down. We will fight relentlessly to make RI an affordable place to live and work. We MUST support economic growth and quality job creation and let companies know RI is open for business.

Education – Education is the bed rock of any great society. Without quality education our state will continue to struggle. Investment in our students is key for our students’ growth and our economic growth. A highly educated workforce will attract quality/high paying jobs.

Infrastructure – Infrastructure is usually the first thing people notice when the visit a new place. Whether that is a businessperson here to make investments or a tourist here to enjoy our state. What people see when they step outside TF Green is what they perceive. We must make RI a place that people want to invest in and visit.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Thomas Rando (R)

Economy – The cost of living MUST be brought down. We will fight relentlessly to make RI an affordable place to live and work. We MUST support economic growth and quality job creation and let companies know RI is open for business.

Education – Education is the bed rock of any great society. Without quality education our state will continue to struggle. Investment in our students is key for our students’ growth and our economic growth. A highly educated workforce will attract quality/high paying jobs.

Infrastructure – Infrastructure is usually the first thing people notice when the visit a new place. Whether that is a businessperson here to make investments or a tourist here to enjoy our state. What people see when they step outside TF Green is what they perceive. We must make RI a place that people want to invest in and visit.

Good government – For years RI has built a reputation of poor governance. The people of RI deserve world class governmental services. They also deserve a government that represents them, not the monied special interests and politically connected.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Thomas Rando (R)

My father. His parents passed away, within a year of each other, when he was 15 years old. In spite of this tragedy he would go on to finish raising himself, finish high school, go to college, start a family and start and run a highly successful company, among other things. He has taught me grit, determination, sacrifice, spirituality and a deep understanding that life must be lived because it can sometimes be so short.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Thomas Rando (R)

There are many. Honesty, integrity, a willingness to search for truth, the ability to listen, humility, thoughtfulness, composure, candor, manners, a drive to do only what is good, conviction and many more.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Thomas Rando (R)

I have lived in both towns in the district. This has given me a deep understanding of all parts of district 45. I have grown up deeply connected to my community. I have attended Assumption University where I studied Political Science. After college I began work in the recycling industry. In my profession I have had the ability to connect with and learn from residents of RI from ALL walks of life. I am a dedicated family man and friend. Throughout my life I have proven to be dependable, trustworthy, moral and humble. My education, experience in business, ties to the community and character make me the perfect candidate to represent District 45.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Thomas Rando (R)

Clinton-Lewinsky Scandal. About 10 years old. Even at a young age I recognized the gravity of such a betrayal of public office.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Thomas Rando (R)

My first job was as a Sacristan at my local church. On the weekends during Highschool I would open and close the church, clean and maintain the facilities, organize the volunteers, set up for the service, serve in various roles during the service, greet parishioners as they entered and exited the building and assisted in a wide variety of other ways. I did this for about 3 years.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Thomas Rando (R)

RI needs to stay competitive. Not just with other states but internationally. We can not afford to have an "insiders" government where the connected and the wealthy call the shots and serve themselves. We need a robust 21st century economy, education and infrastructure. We need robust civil engagement which will ensure the best candidates are selected for the office.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

Thomas Rando (R)

Not necessarily. Government should not consist of bureaucrats, technocrats and career politicians. This type of government creates bubbles and rapidly leaves legislators out of touch with their constituents. Legislators need to know what it is like to live, work, operate and survive in the communities in which they serve.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Thomas Rando (R)

Absolutely. The legislator is a body for a reason. In general, legislators should strive to learn, understand and grow in as many different areas as possible. This is no different than in the body itself. They absolutely need to represent the will of their district but they also need to understand the point of view of the people in other districts.

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

Thomas Rando (R)

A resident of the district donated to the campaign a very large sum of money; within the legal limit. He is financially comfortable but not extremely wealthy. It is not in my nature to take money from people and at first I told him that I could not accept the donation as it was too much money. He insisted and I insisted that he donate less. After a brief back and forth, he would not relent. In that moment I realized that the donation was not about me, not about him, but about supporting an idea, an idea which would create a better future for his daughters, his family, for which nothing else matters.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Thomas Rando (R)

Absolutely, the Founders were well aware of this, thus why they created the system of government we have today. In a society that has differences of opinion, everyone is happy when they feel as though they won something.

See also

More about these elections:

• Rhode Island House of Representatives elections, 2022

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